Deere (DE) Reaches $99M Settlement Over Equipment Repair Restrictions

Key Takeaways

• John Deere has committed $99 million to a settlement fund addressing right-to-repair allegations
• Compensation will go to farmers who used authorized dealers for equipment repairs starting January 2018
• A 10-year commitment provides farmers with digital diagnostic tools, repair manuals, and software
• Deere maintains the settlement includes “no finding of wrongdoing”
• An independent Federal Trade Commission lawsuit against the company continues

John Deere has reached an agreement to resolve a class action lawsuit concerning repair access restrictions, establishing a $99 million compensation fund for farmers while committing to provide repair resources for the next ten years.

Deere & Company, DE

Court documents filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois outline the settlement terms. Eligible participants include those who utilized Deere’s authorized dealer network for large agricultural machinery repairs from January 2018 forward.

Judicial approval remains necessary before the settlement becomes final.

Under the terms, Deere has pledged to make digital repair resources available to both individual farmers and independent repair shops for a full decade. This encompasses diagnostic software, technical manuals, and specialized tools needed for large-scale equipment including tractors, combines, and harvesting machinery.

Plaintiffs alleged that Deere deliberately restricted repair options, forcing farmers to rely exclusively on its authorized dealer network and artificially inflating service expenses.

Settlement Details and Scope

The $99 million compensation pool targets farms and individual farmers who meet eligibility requirements based on documented repair expenditures through Deere’s dealer system since early 2018.

The long-term tool access provision represents a significant component beyond monetary compensation. Deere must maintain support for customers and independent service providers with complete “digital tools required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair” of its large-scale agricultural machinery throughout the decade-long commitment period.

This element addressed central concerns from plaintiffs and right-to-repair advocates who contended that restricting repair access to authorized dealers constituted an anti-competitive monopoly over maintenance costs.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Deere has maintained its position denying any improper conduct.

Federal Trade Commission Lawsuit Continues

This settlement doesn’t close all legal chapters for the agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Separate litigation initiated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission remains active in federal court. In 2025, a judge determined that Deere must proceed to trial on accusations that it compelled farmers into using its authorized dealer network while inflating repair expenses.

Deere has contested these claims as well.

While the class action settlement concludes the private lawsuit initiated with the 2022 complaint, the FTC’s enforcement action continues as a distinct legal proceeding.

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